Revesby Police Station earmarked for relocation despite spend on building upgrades

The possible cost of bulldozing a western Sydney police station has sparked claims of a “taxpayer rip-off”, with the building to potentially be relocated despite a recent six-figure spend on upgrades.

A western Sydney police station could be bulldozed and relocated despite a six-figure sum recently being spent upgrading the building.

The future of Revesby Police Station is up in the air due to a multimillion-dollar road widening upgrade, which may result in the existing building having to be demolished.

The potential cost of bulldozing and relocating the station has sparked claims of a “taxpayer rip off” after $173,000 was spent upgrading sections of the building as part of what the latest NSW Police annual report describes as a “major capital works” project slated for completion in 2026.

The former NSW Coalition government had also allocated an additional $7m for future upgrades and extension works.

Through a spokesman, NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said nothing had been set in stone regarding the station’s future due to the “viability of the site” being contingent on a final decision on the road upgrades, which is currently in the hands of Transport for NSW and Canterbury-Bankstown Council.

Revesby Police Station.

The details of the possible relocation were revealed in a letter from East Hills Labor MP Kylie Wilkinson to state Transport Minister John Graham.

It stated relocating the police station would enable space to be freed up on The River Rd – outside the police station – to undertake road widening works.

Canterbury Bankstown councillor Wendy Lindsay, who served as the state Liberal MP for East Hills up until the last election, has raised concerns over whether a police presence will remain in the Revesby town centre.

She said concerns were underpinned after several high-profile incidents in the area, including the shooting deaths of two women within a 500m radius from the station in 2022.

“That indicates to me that the police station should be staying right where it is in a highly visible, easily accessible location,” she said.

“A significant amount of money has been spent upgrading the internals of the station and it seems ludicrous to me with the extra residents being forced into our suburbs that it could be demolished.

The police station has stood on the site since 1953.

“The police station has been there since the 1950s and the community expects it to remain highly visible.”

The state Labor government announced the road upgrades, which have been backed by a federal funding commitment, as a pre-election promise.

It is understood the $7m allocated to the station could be spent on the rebuilding and relocating the station, if required by the road works.

Ms Wilkinson said she planned to hold a community meeting next year regarding the station.